In the telecommunication industry, computing facilities (e.g., central offices, data centers, server rooms, remote cell sites, and the like) often use an overhead cable management system to route connectivity cables, such as optical fibers, within the computing facility or from the computing facility to another. Cables may be routed within a computing facility from one piece of equipment (e.g., patch, splice, cross-connect, amplifier, transceiver, or other fiber, copper, and/or power connectivity equipment) to another piece of equipment, or from one piece of equipment within the computing facility to outside the computing facility. Computing facilities also require a lighting system to allow employees, installers, technicians, security personnel, and the like to perform their duties. The lighting system generally comprises light structures (e.g., fluorescent lights) disposed in and/or suspended from the ceiling.
Typical overhead cable management systems used to route cables may comprise an assortment of connectable components with a width dimension perpendicular to the path of cable travel of 12″, 24″, or even 36″ in order to route large volumes of cables. These systems are typically elevated above the computing equipment via mounting hardware that mounts the overhead cable management system to the equipment racks, the ceiling, mounting rods, or other support structures.
When a high volume of cables require routing, the overhead cable management system may be substantially large and wide to provide sufficient cable connections to the equipment below the cable management system. Thus, the overhead cable management system may obstruct the light fixtures on the ceiling, limiting their effectiveness at transmitting light to the working space of the facility. Personnel that rely on the light fixtures to perform their duties may find it difficult to work when the light fixtures are blocked or partially blocked.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved overhead cable management systems.